Walking and talking doll



Jan. 10, 1967 R. KAPLAN 3,296,736

WALKING AND TALKING DOLL Original Filed June 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG.2

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R. KAPLAN 3,296,736

Jan. 10, 1967 WALKING AND TALKING DOLL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiledJune 27. 1961 INVENTOR.

United States Patent f 3,296,736 WALKING AND TALKING DOLL Ruth Kaplan,New York, N .Y.

(230-41 131st Ave., Laurelton, N.Y. 10049) Original application June 27,1961, Ser. No. 119,873, new

Patent No. 3,228,143, dated Jan. 11, 1966. Divided and this applicationIlnly 19, 1965', Ser. No. 472,831

Claims. (Cl. 46-118) The present invention relates to a doll or the likefigurine, and particularly to a walking and talking doll, and especiallyto a combined walking and talking mechanism for a doll, or the like, andis a division of my application, Serial No. 119,873, filed June 27,1961, now Patent No. 3,228,143.

Walking dolls of the type to which the present invention relatessimulate walking movement when the torso of the doll is moved forward,alternately on each of its legs, while in substantially uprightposition, with one of the legs resting on a surface. Generally, in suchdolls, the walking mechanism operates by interengaging the two legs,directly or indirectly, to move the one leg, which is free of thesupporting surface, forwardly of the torso, as the torso is moved, todispose the surface-contacting leg to the rear thereof.

Talking dolls, of the type to which the present invention relates, havetheir talking or sound-producing mechanism independent of any walkingmechanism with which the doll may be provided. Generally, suchsound-producing mechanism is set into operation by either changing theposition of the doll, as from upright to horizontal, or vice-versa, orby manual operation,

The present invention is directed to a walking doll having asound-producing or talking mechanism which is actuated by the walkingmechanism that interconnects the two legs to dispose them in opposeddirection relative to the torso in walking-simulating movement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined walkingand talking mechanism for dolls which is assembled into one unit thatmay be mounted on the doll as a unit, to thereby attain economies ofconstruction and assembly.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combinedwalking and talking unit for a doll which operates smoothly andefficiently to perform both of its functions without interference withone another.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the doll Walkingmechanism of the present invention will become more readily apparent tothose skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings, and from the description following. It is to beunderstood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way ofillustration only, to make the principles and practices of the inventionmore readily comprehensi' ble, and without any intent of limiting theinvention to the specific details shown therein.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partly sectional and partly elevational view ofthe lower torso portion and upper leg portions of a doll having awalking mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the legmoving mechanism shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View, on a reduced scale taken on line 3-3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, showing, on an enlargedscale, the walking mechanism combined with a sound-producing mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4; with parts thereofshown in elevation; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

, 3,296,736 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 Referring now, in greater detail, tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, the same show a hollow torso, 10, of a doll, which may beeither rigid or semi-rigid, and of conventional construction, and isprovided, at its lower portion, with circular leg openings, 12, eachlying in a plane that is downwardly convergent toward the other and areseparated, at the bottom of the torso, by a crotch portion, 14; all inthe conventional manner.

The doll is also provided with a pair of legs, 16R and 16L, preferablyof the hollow type and having an upper end surface, that may be definedby an inwardly offset flange, 18, and is set at an angle to thelongitudinal axis of the leg; such surface sloping downwardly in thedirection of the instep of the foot of the leg, as is conventional. Theupper end portion of each of the legs 16R and 16L is of a diameterlarger than a leg opening 12 and each of the legs is provided with acircular groove, 2'9, adjacent and parallel to its upper end surface,whose bottom is of a circumference less than the circumference of a legopening 12, so that the upper end portion of the leg may be force-fittedthrough a leg opening 12 and the marginal edge portion of such legopening engaged within such groove 2%), whereby the leg may be rotatablyretained in place in the conventional manner, as practiced in thewalking doll art.

Each of the legs 16R and 16L preferably is shown as having securedacross its end face, as to flange 18, in any desired manner, a metallicplate, 22, and as having fixedly secured to such metallic plate asubstantially U-shaped metallic bracket, 24R and 24L, respectively. Eachof the metallic brackets 24R and 24L is shown to comprise a web portion,26, which is secured in vertical position on the plate 22, and a pair ofspaced upper and lower arms, 28 and 30, respectively, connected to theweb 26; such arms extending substantially horizontally inwardly into thetorso 10 when the legs are mounted in the opening 12. The bracket arms28 and 3% are shown as being of different lengths, with the lower arm 39being shorter than the upper arm 28. The arms 28 and 30 are ofsubstantial width and each is disposed with its width along a planesubstantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the torso andparallel to the other of the arms. Each of the arms 28 and 30 of thebrackets 24R and 241. is formed with a slot, 34, extending from itsouter edge inwardly thereinto.

Supported on the crotch 14 is a U-shaped bracket generally designated as36, including a web portion, 38, and a pair of spaced relatively wideparallel arms, 40R and 46L, respectively. The bracket 36 is secured inits place with its web 38 extending transversely of the crotch .14 andits arms 4%} extending upwardly each opposite one of the openings 12. Tothat end, bracket 36 may be secured by its web 38 to a supporting base,42, of any desired type, which may be secured on the crotch in anydesired manner, as by rivets, 44.

Rotataibly supported between upright arms 40R and 49L, in meshingrelation, are a pair of preferably cylindrical pinions, 46 and 48, eachof which is provided with a shaft extension at each end; namely, 50R and50L on pinion 46, and 52R and 521. on pinion 48, respectively.

Pinion 46 is rotatably supported by its shaft extensi-ons 50R and 50L insuitable bearing openings provided for the purpose in the bracket arrns40R and 401. and has its shaft extension 50R secured to a rod, 56,intermediate the ends of the latter, in substantially normal relationthereto; the end rods 56 engaging in slots 34 of the arms of the bracket24R that is secured to the leg 16R.

Similarly, pinion 48 is rotatably supported by its shaft extensions 52Rand 52L, respectively, in suitable bearing openings provided for thepurpose in the bracket arms 3 40R and 40L and has its shaft extension52L secured to a rod, 56L, intermediate the ends of the latter; the endsof rod 56L engaging in the slots 34 of the arms of the bracket 24L.

Preferably, the pinions 46 and 48 are disposed with their shaftextensions alined in the plane substantially normal to the longitudinalaxis of the torso 10, and, for the purpose of efficiency, the shaftextension of. the forward of the pinions, 50R, is secured to therearWardly-facing side of its associated rod 56R and shaft extension 52Lof the pinion 48, the rear-most of the pinions, is secured by its shaftextensions 52L to the forwardly-facing side of the rod 56L.

In assembling the walking mechanism of the present invention with adoll, brackets 24R and ML are secured each to a plate 22 and the plate22 each secured to the flange 18 of legs 16R and 16L, respectively. Theplates 22 are preferably arranged in place so that the bracket 24R and24L secured thereto has its web 26 disposed thereon invertically-extending position, or, in a plane parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the leg. The bracket 36 is pre-assernbled withpinions 46 and 4-8 and secured by its base 4-2 on the crotch 14- of thetorso the base, bracket arms, and the bearing openings in such bracketarms being preferably so formed that the shaft extensions of the pinionsare disposed approximately opposite the center of the leg openings 12 ofthe torso. By this arrangement, when the legs 16R and 16L are pressedinto their respective receiving openings 12, the ends of rods 56R and56L will register with and be received into slots 34 in the arms of thebrackets 24R and 241., respectively, which slots may be for-med offcenter of the arms 28, if necessary.

The operation of the doll walking mechanism of the present inventionwill be readily apparent from the foregoing description thereof. It willbe clear that as the doll is rested, for instance, on its leg 16R, inslightly tilted position so that its other leg is clear of thesupporting surface, and the torso then moved forward, the leg 16R willrotate in its opening 12 so that the upper arm 23 of its bracket 24Rwill move forward with the torso, whereas the lower bracket arm willmove rearwardly, with the leg. This will cause the rod 56R, which willbe turned by the brackets 24R, to turn the forward pinions 46 in thesame direction as the rod 56R. Pinion 46 will cause the rotation ofpinion 48 in hte opposed direction and the latter will correspondinglyrotate rod 56L in the direction opposite to that of rod 56R and thelatter cause leg 16L to rotate in the direction opposite to leg 16R,namely, in the direction forwardly of the torso. This procedure will berepeated in the reverse order when the doll is thereafer rested on leg16L and the torso again moved forward.

FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate the combination, in operative relation, of theWalking mechanism described above with a sound-producing mechanism.

The talking mechanism may be of any type heretofore conventionally usedwith dolls, or any other suitable type, such as were operated either byaltering the position of the doll, as from upright to lying down, ormanually, and which are capable of or suitable for modification formechanical operation, as :by the provisions of an operating element,such as a lever or plunger, that may be associated with the doll walkingmechanism to be automatically moved thereby, or, more specifically, withone or both of the pinions of the doll walking mechanism.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sound-producing mechanism is of agenerally conventional form, consisting of a hollow cylinder, 60, closedat its bottom by a wall, 62, in which cylinder there is disposed arelatively closely-fitting cylindrical block or weight, 64, as of aceramic material, which is provided with a passageway, 66, extending inan axial direction therethrough, within which is supported a vibratorysound-producing element,

indicated at 68. The weight 64 is provided at its upper end with awasher, 70, having a central opening, and held in place by a similarlyapertured metallic member, 71. The washer 70, whose peripheral edgeportion overhangs the sides of the weight 64, forms an airtight fit withthe wall of the cylinder 66. The open top of the cylinder 60 is providedwith a grate or grille, 72, which retains the weight within the cylinderwhile permitting air to be dis- 1 placed therefrom.

Sound is produced by the mechanism by first moving the weight 64 towardthe top of the cylinder 6t) and then releasing it for movement towardsthe bottom thereof. The close fit of the washer 70 within the cylinder,restricts the passage of air displaced by the weight 64 to the passage66, in passing through which it sets the element 68 to vibrate.

In adapting such sound-producing device for the purpose of the presentinvention, the bottom wall 62 of the cylinder is provided with a centralopening, 74, into which or around which is set a nipple, 76, having anaxial passageway in register with the opening 74. A plunger, 78, isplaced within the cylinder 60 below the weight 64, whose stem, 80,extends through the nipple 76 and projects downwardly therefrom.

The cylinder is supported within the doll torso 10, preferably on thewalking mechanism supporting base 42 by means of a bracket, 82,extending upwardly from such base and having at its upper end a circularclamp, 84, that fits about and supports the cylinder 60, with the stem80 extending to a point slightly below the level of the pinions 46 and48. One of the pinions, as 46, has se cured thereto, as to its shaftextension 50R, an arm, 88, which is curved or has an extension thereofarranged to underlie the end of the stem 80, to be in close proximity tosuch stem end when the doll legs are in upright position, in axialalinernent with the torso and to engage the end of stem 80 to move itupwardly and inwardly into the cylinder 66 and raise the weight 64 uponthe displacement of the leg 16R into angular position relative to thetorso axis as forwardly. It will be apparent that when such leg 16R isthereafter moved into the opposite direction, pressure on the stern.will be relieved and the weight 64 thereby allowed to drop within thecylinder, to produce a sound, in the manner described above. To ensureproper and certain operation of the sound-producing mechanism, anexpansion spring, 90, may be interposed between the upper surface of theweight 64 and the inner surface of the grille 72, which will press theweight downwardly to insure displacement of air for sound production.

This completes the description of the construction, assembly andoperation of one embodiment of a walking and talking mechanism of thepresent invention. It will be apparent that such mechanism is of highlysimplified construction and mode of operation; that it may be easily andeconomically mounted and assembled with a doll and that it will simulatea natural walking movement which will be automatically accompanied byintermittent sound.

It will be further apparent that numerous modifications and variationsin the doll walking and talking mechanismof the present invention may bemade by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles ofthe inven-- tion hereinabove set forth and without the exercise of anyinventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any andall such modifications and variations that may be made within the spiritof the present invention and scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A combined walking and talking mechanism for a doll having a hollowtorso portion and a pair of limbs rotatably supported by one end on saidtorso portion on opposed sides thereof, comprising a pair of pinions,means within said hollow torso portion supporting said pinions in meshedrelation for reciprocal axial rotation in a plane normal to thelongitudinal axis of said torso, means operatively interengaging each ofsaid pinions with one of said limbs for movement of said limb uponrotation of said pinion, a sound-producing device including a movablemember for actuating said sound-producing device, means including ahousing for said sounding device immovably supported on said torsofixedly supporting said sound-producing device within said torso withits movable operating member adjacent said pinion, a member secured toone of said pinions for rotation therewith engageable upon rotation ofsaid pinion against said operating member for moving the same to actuatesaid device for sound production.

2. The combined walking and talking mechanism of claim 1, wherein saidone pinion is formed with a shaft extension and said member rotatablewith said one pinion is secured to said shaft extension of said onepinion.

3. The combined walking and talking mechanism of claim 1, wherein acommon supporting base for said pinion-supporting means and saidsound-producing device supporting means is mounted within said torso.

4. The combined walking and talking mechanism of claim 1, wherein saidsound-producing device comprises a hollow cylindrical body having aclosed bottom and a central opening formed in said closed bottom andsaid operating member comprises, a plunger within said hollowcylindrical body, said plunger having a stem extending through saidopening, a closely-fitting weighted cylindrical body disposed withinsaid hollow cylindrical body above said plunger for axial displacementtherein, said body having an axially-extending passageway therethroughand a vibratory sound-producing element extending into said passageway,said stem terminating adjacent said pinion-secured member for movementby said pinion-secured member inwardly into said hollow cylindrical bodyupon rotation of said pinion in one direction.

5. The combined walking and talking mechanism of claim 4, wherein saidhollow cylindrical body is formed with a perforated closure at its upperend and an expansion spring is interposed between said closure and theupper end of said weighted cylindrical body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,818 7/1934Gershowitz et al. 46-118 2,116,183 5/1938 Beach et a1 46-180 2,259,46710/1941 Henry 46-187 FOREIGN PATENTS 850,524 10/ 1960 Great Britain.483,263 7/1953 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. J. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COMBINED WALKING AND TALKING MECHANISM FOR A DOLL HAVING A HOLLOWTORSO PORTION AND A PAIR OF LIMBS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY ONE END ON SAIDTORSO PORTION ON OPPOSED SIDES THEREOF, COMPRISING A PAIR OF PINIONS,MEANS WITHIN SAID HOLLOW TORSO PORTION SUPPORTING SAID PINIONS IN MESHEDRELATION FOR RECIPROCAL AXIAL ROTATION IN A PLANE NORMAL TO THELONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TORSO, MEANS OPERATIVELY INTERENGAGING EACH OFSAID PINIONS WITH ONE OF SAID LIMBS FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID LIMB UPONROTATION OF SAID PINION, A SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICE INCLUDING A MOVABLEMEMBER FOR ACTUATING SAID SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICE, MEANS INCLUDING AHOUSING FOR SAID SOUNDING DEVICE IMMOVABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID TORSOFIXEDLY SUPPORTING SAID SOUND-PRO-